Refrigeration



1941- 6.1". ASHBY 2,251,314.

BEFRIGERATION Filed Dec 51, 1937 'INVENTOR.

A4 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 31, 1937, Serial No. 182,106

3 Claims.

My invention relates to refrigeration and more particularly to an absorption type refrigeration system making use of evaporation of reirigerant fluid in the presence of an auxiliary pressure equalizing fluid.

It is an object of the invention to provide a refrigeration system of this type which has greater emciency.

The drawing comprises a single flgure showing more or less diagrammatically a refrigeration system embodying the-invention. A generator iii comprises a horizontal portion ill and an upright portionor standpipe it. A flue it extends through the horizontal portion i i. A gas burner ii is arranged so that the flame is proiected into one end of the flue it, Other suit-- Iii able heating mean may be used as, for in stance, an electric heating element or liquid-fuel burner. Partitions it and i8 divide the hori- 'zontal portion llll of the generator into three chambers it, it, and it. The lower end oi standpipe i2 is connected to chamber ill. The

upper end of standpipe i2 is closed and a chambar it is formed in this end of the standpipe by a partition 2 II. A conduit 22 is connected through partition ii to afford communication between the top of chamber 2|) and the top of chamber 23 above and below the partition 21! respectively. A vapor lift conduit 24' is connected from chamber it to the upper partof chamber 20. Another vapor lift aonduit 25 is connected from chamber it to the upper part of chamber 23. The par-- 7 tition I6 is solid. Partition it is provided with an opening 26 affording communication between the lower parts of chambers i1 and i8.

An absorber comprises a finned coil 21 and a vessel 28. The lower end of @1121 is connected to the upper part oi. vessel 28. The absorber coil 21 is cooled by air. It may be cooled in any other suitable manner as by circulating water or a vaporization-condensation heat transfer cir-.

cult. I

An-evaporator 29 comprises a pipe coil which is located in an insulated refrigerator compartment 30. The upper end of evaporator 29 is connected by a conduit 3!, inner passage 32 of gas heat exchanger 33, and conduit 34 to the upper part or the absorber vessel 28. The lower end of the evaporator 29 is connected by conduit 35, the outer passage 36 of the gas heat excha%ger.

to the upper end or the absage All, and an outside passage 42. The lower part of the generator chamber 20- is connected by a conduit 43, inner passage to of the heat exchanger, conduit M and conduit 38 to the upper end of the absorber coil 21, The lower part of absorber vessel 28 is connected by a conduit At, middle passage M of the heat exchanger, and

conduit it to chamber 23 in the generator stand-' pipe ii. The upper part of chamber 23 is connected by a conduit M1, outside passage 42 of the heat exchanger, and conduit 48 to the upper end of an air cooled condenser cofl 49, The lower end of the condenser 49 is connected by a conduit W to the upper end of the evaporator 29. The outside passage 42 of the heat exchanger M is connected by a conduit 5| to the generator chamber ii; a

Iiifhe lower end of the condenser A9 is connected by a conduit 52 to conduit 34;. Conduit b2 includes a vessel 58.

The system contains a refrigerant fluid, such I as ammonia, a liquid absorbent for the refrigerant, such as water, and an auxiliary pressure equalizing fluid, such as hydrogen.

In operation of the- -system, refrigerant'vapor is expelled from solution by heating in the generator iii. The vapor is condensed to liquid in the condenser 49 and the liquid flows through conduit 50 into the evaporator 29.- Liquid ammonia evaporates in the evaporator 29 and diffuses into the hydrogen, producing a refrigerating eilect. The mixture of hydrogen gasand ammonia vapor flows from the upper end of the evaporator through conduit tl, the gas heat exchanger 33, and conduit 84 to the absorber vessel '28 from where it flows upward in the absorber coil 21. weakened absorption liquid flows from the upper standpipe chamber 20 through conduit 43, inner passage 40 of the exchanger 39, conduit 44, and conduit 38 into the upperend or the absorber coil 21. weakened solution oes downward in the coil 21 and absorbs ammonia vapor from the rising gas. Weak gas flows from the upper end of absorber coil 21 through conduit 28, the gas heat exchanger 33, and'congas. The described flow of weakened absorption 7 solution from the generator to the, absorber oclower end of absorber coil 21 into vessel 28 and 20 and thence through conduit 22 into the upper part of chamber 23 where it joins the vapor from the standpipe. Vapors flow from chamber 23 through conduit 41, outside passage 42 of the heat-exchanger 39, and conduit 48 to the condenser 49.

In the triple heat exchanger 39, hot weak solution flowing from the-generator toward the absorber through inner passage 40 is brought into counter-current heat exchange relation with cooler enriched solution flowing from the .absorber toward the generator through middle passage'4l. In this heat exchange relation,',hea't is transferred from the weak solution to the rich solution. Heat is also transferred to the strong solution from vapors flowing from the generator toward the condenser in the outsidepassage 42.

Transfer of heat from the generator vapors is accompanied by condensation of water vapor in the-outside passage 42. This is commonly referred to as, (rectification; The water vapor is caused by vaporization of solvent in the generator. When the water vapor'condenses during rectification, the heat of condensation is transferred to the strong solution and returned therewith to the generator, thus conserving this heat.

The water vapor and its sensible heat fiows from the outside heat exchanger passage through conduit 25 into the standpipe l2 Any heat of condensatlon of ammonia vapor in the outside passage 42 is returned .with the strong solution to the generator and the condensate with its sensible heat is returned through conduit M to therefore not limited except as indicated in the duit 5| to chamber IQ of the g nerator from where y following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigeration system containing refrigerant and liquid absorbent for the refrigerant. and having a generator comprising a plurality of compartments and a heating flue extending through said compartments, an absorber, a rectifler, a vapor liquid lift conduit connected to one of said compartments for causing circulation of fluid between said generator and absorber, and a second vapor liquid lift conduit connected to another of said compartmentsfor causing flow of liquid between said rectifier-and generator.

2'. A refrigeration system as set forth in claim 1 also having a liquid heat exchanger connected betweensaid generator. and absorber, said rectifier being in heat exchange relation with said heat exchanger.

3. An absorption refrigeration system includ ing a condenser, an evaporator, an absorption liquid circuit including an absorber and a generator, a heated vessel, a rectifier for vapor flowing from-said* generator to said condenser, said rectifier being at a higher level than said heated vessel and connected thereto for fiow of liquid condensate from the rectifier into said heated vessel, and a rising conduit having its lower end projecting into said vessel and forming a vapor lift by which vapor formed by heating of liquid in said vessel raises liquid to a level from |which. it flows by gravity into said absorption liquid circuit,

CARL T. ASHBY. 

